It is important to encourage the use of L1 (the pupil's first or home language) in the mainstream classroom.  Although this may seem counter-intuitive, research indicates that fluency in the home language helps pupils achieve in English. Use of their first language will not impede their learning of English, which is an important message to pass on to parents too. Pupils will feel more confident about using English if they feel their own language is valued. If you or other adults in the classroom are bilingual in the pupil’s language, the task of involving them in your lesson will be even easier.

• Sit the beginner with a sympathetic pupil who shares their first language if possible.

• Allow pupils to  rely on translations if this is what they are comfortable with

• Find out (or get the pupil to find out) the first language equivalent of key words either from the pupil, other pupils or staff in the school, or from dual language resources and dictionaries.  Dual language lists of words for school and dictionaries are readily available and the web also has a host of translation sites

• Encourage the pupil to contribute in class in their first language through planned activities

• Obtain a bilingual dictionary for the pupil. A pupil who is literate should be encouraged to use the dictionary in class. 

• If the pupil is not literate in their home language, make sure that the dictionary is transliterated (representing sounds in one language using the script of another).  This means the dictionaries can be used by monolingual adults to help with understanding and communication.

• Parents can be a useful language resource and can feel more involved through being asked for translations although this should of course be arranged with sensitivity.

• Pupils who are literate in L1 can make their own bilingual subject wordlists in the back of each folder or exercise book. If the pupil uses a different script, it may be useful to encourage them to transliterate as well as translate. 

• Encourage pupils  to use their L1 literacy skills during lessons to complete parallel writing tasks in their first language.

• Pupils who are not literate can make simple illustrated glossaries based on topic or vocabulary areas, using their own pictures or pictures provided.